Changing Tides
by Klouie
Summary: Penny is forced to choose between the promotion of a lifetime or staying in Pontypandy. As she struggles to make a choice, danger is brewing in the horizon. What choice will she make? And what are the consequences?
1. Chapter 1

Penny had spent the past hour trying to fix one of Jupiter's tail lights when Station Officer Steele called her to his office. She quickly wiped her sweaty hands on an old rag and stood up. Jupiter would have to wait. She fondly patted its sleek red body and jogged up the stairs.

Elvis and Ellie were sitting at the table playing cards, Arnold had the afternoon off and Sam was sitting in a corner, doing paperwork. He looked up as Penny passed him.

"What have you done to warrant a visit to Steele's office?" He raised his eyebrows, a smile playing on his face. Penny smiled. She had a perfect record, and was known as the station's 'good girl'. Because of this, she'd been given the nickname Perfect Penny.

Penny turned to face Sam. "I don't know Sam," She replied, jokingly. "Maybe I'm up for a promotion."

Sam sat there, trying to tell whether she was serious or not. Penny laughed and knocked at Station Officer Steele's door.

The door swung open and Steele smiled warmly at her.

"Ah, Firefighter Morris! Come in, we need a word." Penny followed him in and stood in front of the large desk that dominated the room. Steele walked around and sat down on his chair.

"Firstly, how are your repairs going? I see that you've nearly finished maintenance on Jupiter." Penny nodded.

"Yes sir. I just have to replace one of the tail lights and she's all fixed."

"Very good." Steele nodded, glancing out of the window. He coughed, then looked back at Penny.

"The reason I wanted to see you is because you have been offered a place as Lead Firefighter at the new fire station down in Newtown." He paused and took a sip of tea. "Chief Fire Officer Boyce was particularly impressed with your wide range of skills last time he visited, and he says that if you want it, you are guaranteed the position."

Penny stood silently for a second. "But sir, why? I'm not even a leading firefighter - that's Sam."

Steele shook his head. "Officer Boyce thought you'd be interested. He thinks that you are an excellent candidate for the job." He stood up and handed Penny a contract.

Slowly, she reached out an took it. "Can I think about it sir?" She asked. "It's just... it would be a big change."

"Of course," replied Steele, "Chief Fire Officer Boyce is coming to visit us tomorrow anyway. He can talk to you more about the position."

"Ok." Penny hesitantly walked towards the door. Just as she was about to open it, she turned and spoke.

"Thank you, sir."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 **Please note - none of the characters in this fanfic belongs to me. They belong to Hit Entertainment.**

Sam was waiting outside for Penny. He smiled warmly at her.

"So, did Perfect Penny get told off for something? Or are you getting a promotion?"

Penny bit her lip. She wanted to tell Sam all about the job offer but she wasn't sure if she could. "Um..." she stammered, "It was nothing, really. Station Officer Steele just wanted to know how my repairs on Jupiter were going." She turned to walk down the stairs. Sam followed her.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am! I'm just a little bit tired, I guess." She wiped her sweaty hands on her trousers.

Sam nodded, still unconvinced. "Do you want to go have a lie-down, then? If you're feeling tired? I can finish putting that tail light on Jupiter for you."

Penny shrugged. "It's fine, I can finish it. Anyway, I go off duty in 15 minutes."

"Same here," Sam replied, "I'll help you then. I'm done with all this paperwork."

Together, they walked down the stairs. Penny could see Ellie staring at them out of the corner of her eye. She often joked that Penny and Sam would be a cute couple, but Penny always objected. Sam was her colleague. Friend? Maybe. But nothing more than that. Ellie would just roll her eyes at Penny and giggle. "Come on, live a little! You haven't had a boyfriend since college."

"Yes, because I don't want one. I'm perfectly happy by myself." Penny would reply, and then she'd change the subject. She was fine being single. It suited her.

The new tail light was fitted in no time. Sam and Penny stepped back to admire their work, dusting their hands off. Penny looked up at Sam and burst out laughing. He had a large smear of grime on his nose.

Smiling, Sam quickly wiped it off. He glanced at the clock. "Do you want a lift home?" he asked, picking up the toolbox and putting it back on the shelf.

"I can walk," Penny said. "Anyway, don't you live in the opposite direction to me?"

Sam frowned. "Well, yes, but it's going to start raining soon." He gestured to the menacing grey clouds outside the window. "You'll get soaked."

Penny opened her locker and shrugged. "I've got a jacket, and I walk fast." Sam leant against the lockers. He looked genuinely concerned.

"Come on, Penny. We can't have you catching a cold," he said. Penny turned to face him. She'd never known him to be so insistent!

"Ok, if you insist," she said, putting her coat on.

Sam grinned. "Ok, let me grab my coat."

"You ride a motorbike?"

Sam nodded sheepishly. "Um... yeah, I do." Penny looked at the motorbike. It was painted dark blue and it looked elegant yet powerful. Sam watched her, looking slightly embarrassed. "I like to fix up motorbikes and old cars and stuff. Keeps me busy. Just a small hobby..."

"It's amazing," said Penny, looking up at Sam in wonder. What else didn't she know about him? They'd known each other for nearly four years, but they didn't know much about each other's interests.

Sam smiled back shyly. "Well, um, you wear this." He passed Penny a helmet. She took it and put it on.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll be fine." Sam swung his leg over the seat and sat down. "Ugh.. hop on." Penny obliged. "Oh, and you might want to hold on. The streets here are a bit bumpy."

Penny looked around for something to hold onto. "Sam? What do I hold onto?" she asked.

"Me, I guess."

"Ok, then." Quickly, she looked around. She hoped that Penny wasn't looking out of the window right now, or she'd be giving Penny hell tomorrow...

Sam dwitched the engine on and it rumbled to life. "Ready?" he called, looking over his shoulder. Penny nodded.

The ride to her house wasn't bad, though Penny was too busy thinking about the job offer to really enjoy the view. Sam had driven slowly, taking extra care around the sharp turns on the narrow Welsh road. After about 10 minutes, they arrived at Penny's house. Sam stopped abruptly and the hopped off.

"You walk to the station every day?" exclaimed Sam. Penny shook her head.

"I bike most of the time, but I've got a puncture and I couldn't fix it in time this morning." Sam nodded. They stood awkwardly for a few seconds until Penny gestured to the house.

"Do you want a cup of tea or-?"

Sam grinned. "Alright. And I'll see if I can help you with that puncture."

 **I hope you enjoyed that chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry, it's been a while since I've updated - I've been really busy at school. But I'm back now. Enjoy :)

Sam and Penny sat together at the kitchen table, quietly sipping at their tea. Penny couldn't get the job offer off of her mind, and she wondered whether Sam had ever been in a similar situation.

Pontypandy was Sam's home though. His brother, sister in law and niece and nephew lived here. Penny, however, had been born in Newtown, and she had also spent a couple of years in Cardiff when she was a teenager. She didn't really feel connected to either place though, since all of her relatives had moved to London while she went to Firefighters College in Newtown. Pontypandy felt more like home than either of those two.

Still thinking, Penny stared at the bottom of her mug contemplating the difficult decision that she had to make. What was the right choice though...?

"Are you alright?"

Penny jumped. She'd forgotten that Sam was here too. She didn't get a lot of visitors, and she had gotten quite used to being alone, just herself and her thoughts.

"I'm fine," she said, feeling guilty for ignoring him. "Sorry."

Sam set his mug down on the table and looked at her closely. "Are you sure?" he asked, frowning.

"Yes! Well, no. I've just got stuff on my mind, that's all." Penny took a sip of tea. It had gone cold.

Sam leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "It's about that meeting you had with Steele, isn't it?"

Pennosy but her lip and nodded. "He said I'd been offered a job in Newtown. As a leading firefighter." she said, slowly.

Sam smiled. "Congratulations, you deserve it! Are you going to accept the job?"

"I honestly don't know, Sam. I'd love to be a Leading Firefighter... but at the same time, I want to stay here." Penny replied, running her fingers through her short hair.

"Why do you want to stay?" Sam asked softly.

Penny sighed. "Because... because I don't want to leave Pontypandy. It's my home now, and I can't imagine working without Ellie and Elvis, and Arnold, and Station Officer Steele and you." she paused, and took a deep breath. "And I'm scared, Sam. What if I'm not good enough? What if someone gets hurt because of my actions...", Penny faded off as Sam gently took her hand.

"Penny, you are more the good enough. I mean, we don't call you Perfect Penny for nothing, you know." Penny smiled bashfully.

"The thing is," continued Sam, "It's your choice."

Penny nodded slowly. "Ok," she said. "Thanks Sam."

"You're welcome," he replied, draining the rest of his mug. "Now, let's see if I can help you with that bike of yours."

...

The next morning was beautiful. The sky was clear, and there was no trace of yesterday's storm.

Penny woke up early. Even though she had talked with Sam the previous day, she was unsure of what she wanted to do. She lay awake for half an hour thinking, until her alarm clocked went off. Penny climbed out of bed and changed into a fresh station uniform, before heading downstairs for breakfast. She ate a couple of slices of toast before brushing her teeth, packing her bag, and wheeling her bike onto the narrow country road.

Sam had helped her fix her bike the previous day. "Good as new," he smiled, spinning the back wheel contentedly when they were finished. "I can give you a ride tomorrow though, if you want."

Penny had politely objected. He'd smiled. "Just text me if you change your mind."

And then he'd been gone, the engine of his motorbike echoing down the lane, sending birds flying out of hedges. Penny had stood outside for a while before she finally headed indoors.

Now, Penny mounted her bike and started peddling. One of the main reasons she had a bike was because she enjoyed the scenery so much. It was also good exercise.

Soon, she had arrived in Pontypandy. Penny dismounted her bike and locked it up outside Dilys's shop, before heading in. Dilys greeted her warmly.

"Morning Penny! What a beautiful day, especially after yesterday's weather."

Penny nodded. "I think it's going to get quite hot. Make sure Norman has a water bottle today."

"Ooo," Dilys sighed, "what are the cadets doing today?"

The cadets were going to the cliffs to learn about the animals that lived in there and in the sea.

Penny smiled. "It's a bit of a surprise, Dilys," she said. "But I can guarantee that they'll have an amazing time."

Dilys nodded. "My Norman is soooo excited. I'll get him down here, to say hello..."

"There's no need, Dilys..." Penny quickly protested.

But it was too late. "NORMAN! COME DOWNSTAIRS AND SAY HELLO TO FIREFIGHTER PENNY," Dilys screeched up the stairs.

"But mam! I'm getting ready for my cadet trip!" Norman yelled back.

Dilys shook her head, and turned back to Penny. "Anyway," she said brightly, "what can I help you with today?"

"I just need a box of teabags and some milk for the station," replied Penny, putting her purchases on the counter. Dilys scanned them, and Penny paid and left the shop. She unlocked her bike, put the bag with the shopping on the handlebars and cycled the rest of the way to the station.

Outside, Arnold was just emptying the rubbish bin. "Morning Penny. Chief Officer Boyce is here," he said to Penny gravely. "Hopefully he doesn't get us to do those awful training exercises again..."

"Hopefully not," replied Penny, not bothering to tell him the real reason that Boyce was here. She opened the door and walked up the stairs into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and put the milk inside, before slamming it shut.

"Firefighter Morris! What a pleasure to see you." Penny turned around quickly. Chief Officer Boyce was standing with Station Officer Steele.

"It's good to see you too, sir," she replied, setting the teabags on the counter.

"If you could just step into the office here, we can just have a chat about that job offer..."


	4. Chapter 4

"Take a seat, Firefighter Morris," said Chief Fire Officer Boyce, gesturing at a chair in front of the desk. Penny quickly sat down, wringing her hands together nervously. She waited as Chief Fire Officer Boyce and Station Officer Steele sat down opposite her.

Boyce cleared his throat. "Now, Firefighter Morris, we are here to talk about that job we have offered you as a leading firefighter at Newtown Fire Station." He smiled.

"Over the years, you have maintained a near perfect record - one of the best in Wales, I should add." Boyce smiled proudly. "You have a wide range of invaluable skills that you are always adding more too and Station Officer Steele here says that you are a capable leader."

"Thank you sir." Penny tried to smile.

"Because of this, we think you are the perfect person for the job. If you take it, you will be leading a group of firefighters and be helping to train them and to lead them when you are responding to calls." Boyce paused. "While it is a bit of a step up from your current role, Station Officer Steele and I believe that you are more than capable of doing so."

Penny bit her lip. "I am very grateful to of been offered this opportunity, but I have a couple of questions. If I took the job, would I be staying in Pontypandy or Newtown?

"You would need to move to Newtown. However, as part of the job, you would get an apartment quite close to the Newtown Fire Station."

"Alright, sir. Thank you."

Boyce stood up and looked out of the window. "I know this is a very hard decision for you to make, Firefighter Morris," he added. "But I promise that if you choose to take the job, you will be happy. And you can still visit all of your friends in Pontypandy on your days off."

Penny nodded. "I'm still unsure," she admitted. "The job sounds amazing but at the same time I love it here in Pontypandy. I'm not sure if I could bring myself to leave."

"That is to be understood!" Boyce said kindly. "It is hard to move from places you have such a deep connection too." He stopped and thought for a second.

"I know - why don't you come to Newtown with me this afternoon and I can show you around. The place has changed drastically since you left to work here! You could even meet some of the firefighters."

Station Officer Steele nodded. "It should be a uneventful afternoon here, anyway," he said to Penny. "Sam's taking the Junior Cadets on a trip to the cliffs, so it should be reasonably quiet."

"Yes, sir," replied Penny. She turned to face Boyce, who was smiling broadly. "When would you like to leave, sir?"

"Hmmm," Boyce thought for a second. "Well, I need to discuss some other matters with Station Officer Steele here, so I'd say around 10 o'clock. It's only about an hours drive to Newtown, so you should be back for 3 o'clock.

Penny nodded.

Station Officer Steele smiled kindly at her. "You are dismissed, Firefighter Morris."

...

Penny closed the door to the office and sighed loudly. She had no idea what to do and that meeting had just left her even more unsure and confused.

"What's wrong, Penny?" Ellie asked from the kitchen table. She was reading a book while Arnold was doing some research on the computer. "You're not in trouble, are you?"

Penny shook her head and sat down next to Ellie. "I've been offered a job as a lead firefighter..."

"That's great!" Ellie exclaimed, putting her book down. Arnold looked over from his work and smiled.

"Well done, Penny!"

"...in Newtown," added Penny.

"Oh," Ellie said, quietly.

Arnold's smile had turned to a frown. "You're leaving?"

"No...yes...I don't know! I haven't decided yet." Penny put her head in her hands. "And I don't know whether to take it because it's such a good opportunity, or to stay here," Penny said frustratedly. "I just can't make up my mind and I don't know what to do and-"

She stopped. "I just don't know what to do," she whispered. Ellie gave her a hug.

"Just do what feels right, Pen," she said comfortingly. "Don't worry about us."

"Yes," agreed Arnold, joining them at the table. "It's your choice - don't let anyone affect it."

Penny nodded miserably. "I'm going with Chief Fire Officer Boyce to have a look around the Newtown Fire Station and meet some people at 10," she said. "Hopefully I'll make up my mind then." Ellie nodded and looked up at the clock.

"How about I make us all a nice, strong cup of tea," she said, "to help make you feel better."

Arnold nodded. "I think Elvis had some chocolate cake in the cupboard too..."

Penny and Ellie started laughing. "What?" asked Arnold. "It's good cake!"

...

At 10 o'clock, Penny and Chief Fire Officer Boyce left for Newtown. As Boyce navigated the car down the narrow, twisting lanes, he chatted happily about the Fire Academy and about new firefighting technology. Penny was happy to sit and listen, adding the polite 'yes' or 'ahuh' when necessary.

Soon, they arrived at the Newtown Fire Station. Boyce manoeuvred his car into an available parking spot and they both got out. Penny closed the door and gazed up at the gigantic red and blue fire station.

It was five stories tall and painted blue and red. Penny could see all of the vehicles parked in the garage - about triple the amount of vehicles they had at the Pontypandy fire station. Currently, some of the firefighters were doing basic maintenance and they looked up as Penny and Boyce passed them.

Penny looked around in awe. It was so...big. Bigger than she remembered it being.

Boyce chuckled. "Quite a sight, isn't it?" he said proudly, leading her up the stairs. "As you can see, the ground floor is used as a garage for all of the vehicles. The first floor is made up of a briefing room and a space for all of the equipment such as spare hoses, BA equipment and oxygen tanks. Second floor is a space for the firefighters while they are not responding to an emergency. Third floor is first aid and toilets and showers, fourth floor is the cafeteria and up on the fifth floor, we have the control room, fitted out with all of the latest equipment." Boyce smiled. "Impressive, isn't it?"

Penny gazed around her and nodded. Everywhere she looked, there were people busily doing things. As they walked up the stairs, she tried to soak all of it in.

When they reached the second floor, they stopped. Firefighters were laughing, watching TV, talking and reading. They all stopped when they saw Boyce.

"Carry on!" he said, "I'm just showing someone around." Everybody nodded and turned their attention to Penny. She stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Boyce led her to a corner in the room. "Ah, Firefighters Smith and Denne! Meet Firefighter Morris from Pontypandy."

Two firefighters turned around - a pale, blue-eyed woman who smiled warmly at Penny and a tanned, well-built man.

"This is Lead Firefighter Lucy Smith," said Boyce, gesturing to the woman who smiled at Penny and gave a little wave. Penny smiled back warmly. "And this," continued Boyce, "is Lead Firefighter Jack Denne." Denne mumbled hello and shook Penny's hand.

"Firefighters Denne and Smith, this is Firefighter Penny Morris and she might be joining us as a lead firefighter," said Boyce. They both nodded.

After a brief chat, Boyce took Penny around the rest of the station. The sheer size of it amazed her and she tried to imagine herself working here.

Finally, it was time for her to leave. "I'll give you a lift back," offered Boyce, "it'll save you having to wait for Trevor's bus to get here."

"Thank you, sir," replied Penny. "I'll just radio Station Officer Steele and tell him I'm on my way back." She pulled her radio out and pressed the 'talk' button.

"Firefighter Morris to Station Officer Steele, over," she said into the radio.

"Ah, Firefighter Morris!" came the reply. "Are you on your way back now?"

"Yes, sir. Chief Fire Officer Boyce has kindly offered to give me a ride."

"Very good, I'll see you in an hour, then."

"Yes, sir," Penny replied.

...

The drive home to Pontypandy was a lot like the drive to Newtown - Boyce doing the talking and Penny listening.

"Recently the ground floor had to be renovated to make more space for some new rescue vehicles," Boyce was saying, "we've really expanded on our range of- are you alright, Firefighter Morris?"

Penny snapped back into reality. "Yes sir, I'm fine," she said.

"You're thinking about the choice your going to make, aren't you?" Boyce said, smiling. "Have you came to a conclusion yet?"

Penny sighed. "No, sir." She looks out of the window. "It's just the more I think about it, the more I doubt myself."

Boyce nodded. "Well, Newtown Fire Station will always be happy to have you. And even though you'll miss you work colleagues back in Pontypandy, you can still visit them, and I bet you'll make friends with the other firefighters."

"I guess so," said Penny, "but Newtown Fire Station is so...big. A lot bigger than when I worked there."

"You'd get used to it," replied Boyce. "At the end of the day though, it is your choice. And everyone just wants what's best for you."

Penny nodded. Suddenly, she heard her radio crackle to life. Boyce glanced down at it with look of slight concern before looking up, silent.

"Firefighter Jones and Mandy Flood have been swept out to sea in a rip!" Station Officer Steele said urgently. "And there's a storm coming!"

 **I hope you enjoyed that… please leave any feedback or comments in the review section! It's always appreciated. : )**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello - I've made this chapter a bit longer than the others because there was so much to fit in and I didn't really want to break it down. Enjoy and as usual, please leave constructive critiscm in the review section!**

There was silence for a second before Penny felt her heart swoop. She knew how dangerous a rip was, how strong they were. Even though Sam was a strong swimmer and would be able to escape it, he still had to get back to the shore with Mandy...and they could be miles away from land.

The radio crackled again. "Firefighter Morris, we're going to need your help for this one. How far away from Pontypandy are you?" Station Officer Steele asked.

Penny grabbed her radio and pressed the talk button. "We're about two minutes away, sir. I'll head to the Ocean Rescue Centre immediately."

She dropped the radio onto her lap and turned to Boyce. "Could you please drop me off outside of Ocean Rescue, sir? We need to get there as quickly as possible."

"Of course," Boyce replied before he flipped a switch on the roof of the car. The siren and lights turned on and Boyce sped up by about 10 miles. They sped down the lane, the loud wailing of the siren echoing behind them.

Penny leaned back in her seat, mentally preparing herself for the rescue ahead. Hopefully, Sam and Mandy were alright. They should be. They had to be...

She wondered how they ended up in the water. As far as she knew, there weren't any swimming activities planned for today and it was a bit chilly so they wouldn't have gone paddling. She shivered. Hopefully, it wasn't too cold. She picked up her radio again. "Sir, can we call Nurse Flood out? The water will be cold and they could have hypothermia when we get them out of the sea. They'll need checking when we get back to shore."

"Good idea, Firefighter Morris! I'll call her now." Station Officer Steele replied.

Boyce stopped in front of the Ocean Rescue Centre. Quickly, Penny got out and ran inside, leaving the car door open. Ben and Elvis were waiting for her, all ready to go. As Penny pulled on her Ocean Rescue uniform, Elvis briefed her on what they were going to do.

"Tom is going to try to get a visual on them in Wallaby Two while we head out. Ellie is with him in case we need to airlift them out." Penny nodded as she put on her helmet and clipped it up. "We're going to go out in Neptune to get them and then we'll immediately bring them back to shore," Elvis continued.

"Alright, Elvis," Penny replied as they climbed into Neptune. Ben started up the boat's engine and they slid down the ramp, landing in the sea with a splash. Penny looked back at the shore to see Charlie and Bronwyn staring anxiously out to sea, gripping the railing tightly. Station Officer Steele must have called them to say that Sam was in danger. Penny frowned - she knew how close Sam and Charlie were and how hard it was for Charlie to see his brother in danger.

As Neptune bounced along, Penny turned and peered at the horizon, looking carefully for any sign of Sam or Mandy. She could hear Wallaby Two overhead, it's blades slicing through the air. "Any sign of them, Tom?" she asked, talking into the radio.

"No, Penny," the familiar Australian accent answered. "I think they've been swept out quite a bit - the tides look quite strong." Penny bit her lip. She knew that they had to find Sam and Mandy quickly before fatigue overwhelmed them, or they got hypothermia or...

Penny stopped. She had to stop thinking like that - thinking so negatively. They would be fine and she knew it. They were strong swimmers and there were no dangerous animals to worry about.

Elvis pointed excitedly at the horizon. "Penny, Ben! I think that's them!" Penny ran to the side of the small boat. She laughed with relief when she saw them.

"Ben, can you get as close as you can to them? Elvis and I will grab them," she said.

Ben and Elvis nodded. "Roger that, Penny," they chorused.

Penny picked up her radio. "Station Officer Steele, we have a visual on them," she said.

"Very good. Tom Thomas is on standby if you need him."

"and Yes sir. We are approaching them now."

Ben slowed Neptune down so the waves wouldn't push Sam and Mandy further away. They stopped a couple of meters away from them.

Sam looked up at them in relief. "Thank goodness!" he exclaimed, panting. "I was getting worried, we drifted so far."

Penny smiled. "Well, we're here now. Elvis is going to throw you a life ring now, okay?"

Mandy and Sam both nodded tiredly. Penny watched as Elvis threw the life ring to them. Mandy grabbed on tightly and Sam did the same. Elvis started to haul them in. Finally, they were close enough to reach. "Grab Mandy first," Sam asked, exhausted.

"I will, Sam," Penny answered, leaning over the side of Neptune to grab Mandy. She pulled her up, grunting from the effort. As soon as Mandy was safely onboard, Penny gave her a life jacket to put on.

"SAM!" Penny turned to see Elvis grabbing at Sam, who was slipping underwater. Even though Elvis was leaning as far as he could, he couldn't reach him.

"What happened?" she gasped.

"I think he fainted," replied Elvis, breathing heavily, nearly panicking.

Penny jumped into the water with a splash. "I'm going to get him," she said. "Tell Tom we need him here with a double harness ready and radio Helen and Station Officer Steele!"

Elvis nodded. Penny took a deep breath before diving down into the murky sea.

The water was cold and the salt stung Penny's eyes. Through the dark, murky water, she could just see Sam floating downwards, unconscious. She kicked harder and tried to reach him, but he was too far away.

Still determined, Penny swam deeper. The pressure change was making her ears pop painfully and it was so dark she could barely see. Finally, she caught up to Sam and she grabbed his sleeve. He stopped sinking and they floated there for a second, motionless. Penny looked around, before grabbing Sam under the arms to get a better hold on him. She started kicking furiously.

Unfortunately, Sam was a lot heavier than Penny was. Her lungs were aching from the effort of dragging him along. Desperately, she looked up. The surface was still so far away...and she was so tired...

I am not giving up, Penny though. I'm going to get us both up to the surface and we are both going to be okay. She kicked even harder. We are not going to die!

By now, her arms and legs were aching and her lungs were bursting. Penny was starting to slow down. I have to keep going, she thought, struggling to not open her mouth and take a breath. I can make it to the surface if I keep kicking...

She looked up as a thin shadow fell across her face. The shadow belonged to a rope, dangling in the water. Penny reached up and grabbed it, one hand clutching the rope and one hand holding onto Sam. As soon as she did this, the rope was hauled up, dragging Penny and Sam with it. Penny kicked as hard as she could to help speed them up. We can make it, she thought, we're so close...!

They had broken the surface of the water. Penny gasped for air, still holding the rope tightly. Her whole body ached.

Elvis was leaning over the side of Neptune, holding the other end of the rope. "Are you alright?" he asked, dropping the rope.

"I've been better," Penny croaked. "Just get Sam out of the water...quickly." She watched as Elvis pulled Sam out of the water and lay him on the floor of the boat. "Elvis, you need to do CPR on him, I think he swallowed some salt water," Penny said urgently. Elvis nodded, before turning back to Sam.

Ben left the controls of Neptune for a second to help Penny climb into Neptune. She collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily.

"Is she alright?" Mandy asked Ben anxiously.

"I don't know...Penny? Can you hear me?" Ben gently shook her and took her pulse.

Slowly, Penny sat up. She rubbed her eyes. "I'm fine," she said. "I'm just tired. Is Sam okay?"

"He's breathing!" called Elvis. "But I think he needs to see a doctor as soon as possible."

Penny nodded. "Ben, can you radio Tom and get him to send down a double harness? Elvis, you'll need to strap Sam into the harness and go with him. Take him to Newtown Hospital as quickly as you can, alright?"

"What about you, Penny?" asked Ben. "You were under for at least a minute, you should probably go to the hospital as well..."

"I'm fine - making sure Sam is okay is our main priority right now. I'll see Helen when we get back to the shore," Penny replied before she struggled to her feet.

"Sure thing, Penny." Ben took his radio from his pocket. "Tom, we need a double harness, now...Station Officer Steele? Yes, they're out of the water... we're air-lifting Sam to Newtown Hospital...yes...of course..."

Penny turned away from Ben. "Feeling okay?" she asked Mandy.

Mandy tried to smile. "It was a bit scary in the water but I think I'm fine. Fireman Sam helped me stay afloat." Penny smiled. "Is he going to be okay?" Mandy added.

"Of course. He just swallowed a lot of water, that's all."

...

After Sam and Elvis had been lifted onto the helicopter and Tom was flying them to Newtown, Ben drove Neptune back to the shore. Helen Flood, Station Officer Steele and Chief Fire Officer Boyce were waiting anxiously.

"Mandy!" exclaimed Helen as they all walked out of the Ocean Rescue Centre. She ran towards Mandy and hugged her tightly. "Oh, you gave me a fright. I'm glad you're okay." She started giving Mandy a check-up.

Boyce and Station Officer Steele walked over to Ben and Penny. "Well done, you two," said Station Officer Steele proudly.

Penny tried to smile, but all of a sudden, she felt exhausted and dizzy. Everything around her was beginning to spin. She leaned on the railing and closed her eyes.

"Penny?" asked Ben, "are you okay?"

She shook her head. "Feel dizzy..." she mumbled. She swayed, and Ben stumbled forward to catch her.

"Nurse Flood," called Boyce, a sense of urgency in his voice, "we need you here now!"

Footsteps...worried talking...her own, raspy breaths...they were the last things Penny heard before she fell unconscious.

 **I'm probably going to have a little break before I write the last chapter because I have some other stories I want to add to and I have a couple of story ideas that I'd like to develop a little bit further. So it might be a few weeks before I post the next chapter. : )**

 **Klouie**


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